History

In the Beginning – Canton Visiting Nurse Association

For many years Canton Visiting Nurses Association, Inc. was an active accredited home care and community health service agency housed in the Canton town hall. Following those pursuits over time CVNA in addition to providing skilled homecare services also provided informal social services within the town. CVNA’s office location, their caring professional staff and the broad scope of patient and family involvement contributed to and strengthened the town alliance. So it is not surprising that during that time a significant Memorial Fund was accumulated. Donated funds wisely supervised and invested by the CVNA Board grew significantly. Donors were genuinely appreciated and remembered, and CVNA donor plaques lined the halls of the town hall near the CVNA office entrance.

CVNA Scholarship Established

Also a CVNA Scholarship Fund was established during this time supported solely by donations designated for scholastic purposes. The annual scholarship grant, limited to the amount of interest generated from scholarship donations received, was to be awarded to a Canton High School graduate pursuing an education in a health related field.

Dr. Diters/CVNA Scholarship Fund

In September 25, 1989 Dr. Diters, a strong advocate for the CVNA and a beloved family doctor in Canton retired. A “Roast” held on his behalf generated $8,300 in proceeds to create the Dr. Diters/CVNA Scholarship Fund. The Fund’s use was pledged solely for the purpose of scholarship grants to Canton residents (or persons having a Canton domicile) intending to pursue an education in a health related field.

On April 23, 1990 the CVNA Board entertained a resolution and voted to combine the two scholarship funds to improve investment potential. As the two scholarship funds expressed a distinct difference in the background of intended applicants, a stipulation was included in the resolution to designate a certain portion of available proceeds solely to Canton High School graduates.

Canton Community Health Fund Created

By the 1990’s the town and the agency’s needs changed and both were seeking more office space. CVNA moved to Canton Village. Town funding of CVNA was reduced as the town employed its own social service department and CVNA focused on third part reimbursement for homecare services. The town continued to fund community health and wellness programs. As Medicare funding imperatives and home care staffing issues intensified, it became clear in 1998 that CVNA needed to formally partner with a larger home care organization. McLean Visiting Nurses and Community Services in Simsbury was selected owing to successful past working relationships and the quality of their organization. A merger of the two was concluded, but due to a strong sentiment that the CVNA Memorial Fund and the Scholarship Fund were created out of the generosity of Canton Residents, those funds were held out of the merger and the CCHF was created to assume stewardship of them. Also at that time the Scholarship Fund became known as the Dr. Diters Scholarship Fund as the name Canton Visiting Nurse Association belonged with the merged entities.